Sheet Pan Pizza - Grandma Style - Sourdough Pizza

Sweet Phi's Sheet Pan Pizza Recipe is one of my favorite pizza dough recipes.  I use it mostly for the sheet pan / grandma style pizza, but have had great success with it in a round shape on a cast iron pan.  Lodge's 14 Inch for a standard pie thickness or for a thicker pie Lodge's 12 inch or similar both work great.

I've tweaked the recipe to grams, for ease of reference as well as odd an option to use sourdough starter.  This gives you options whether using yeast or sourdough starter, this pizza dough is a family and friend favorite.  Sourdough pizza cannot be beat though, so when you have the time and a sourdough starter, give it a try.

Converted to grams

• 296.25 g warm water about 90-110 degrees
• 100 g sourdough starter or 
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Quick Rise Active Yeast 1 envelope
• and 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 40 g olive oil
• 3 1/2 - 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

When using a sourdough starter, you need to give it some time.  The warmth of your proofing area matters.  But if you have sourdough you likely know all about that!  Just in case, you may want to preheat your oven for a few seconds then turn it off (don't forget to turn it off) and you can put your dough in there to be warm.  A proofing box would work great, but I don't have one.  I use a seed starting mat covering my bowl with a towel, and it works really good.

Nerf Battles and Star Wars

Nerf Battles and Star Wars are one of my 4-year-old sons favorite things currently.  I can't believe it's been 4 years already.  They say time flies, and it does.  As I reflect on how he has changed my and my wife's life, it has truly been for the better.  His 2-year-old sister equally adds to the fun.

Resolutions are a dime a dozen, but it is that time of year. 

1. Debt snowball/avalanche & liquid investing
2. Weight loss
3. More hiking and time outside
4. More thinking, both religious and philosophical

Debt snowball/avalanche & liquid investing 

We started in 2017 but are getting more aggressive now.  While we have been good with our employer investing, we wanted to be investing in things we could actually draw from for major purchases or emergencies as well. 

Weight loss

Just like a majority of Americans, I have a physical and fitness goal.  This year's focus is total weight loss, which truly means fat loss.  Similar to goal 1, this actually began last year but will continue this year. 

More hiking and time outside

One of my favorite exercise activities is hiking in nature.  Not only does this support my weight loss, it is good for my general fitness and for my soul.  "Not all those who wander are lost"- J.R.R. Tolkien

More thinking

College and graduate school afford the most time to think, mostly academically.  I would like to dedicate some to this pursuit for both religious studies, as well as secular philosophy.  Stoicism and artificial intelligence are topics I am planning to explore.

What Can We Learn About Saturated Fat from Home Depot? - Review

I just read the article, "What Can We Learn About Saturated Fat from Home Depot?" found here, and there was some very good points that I wanted to summarize.

1. Dietary saturated fat alone as little affect on blood levels of it.
2. When starch and/or sugar is eaten with saturated fat there is increased blood saturated fat.
3. The source of saturated fat is important, meaning factory raised animals sources may carry other junk you do not want.
4. When eaten as a low carbohydrate diet saturated fat is a good fuel source.

It can be challenging reading article on nutrition and diet.  Many topics actually have two right answers with qualifiers to what makes them right.  As you can see from this article, saturated fat is bad for us but only when eaten with carbohydrates.  This means low-fat is the preferred choice when eating carbohydrates.

We have to stop thinking about parts of things and start thinking of them as a whole.

Beginner Hammocking

I've always enjoyed the outdoors.  My parents took my RVing in primary school, and as I became older I would tent on their camp site.  It was more rugged and independent that way.  During secondary school I did not camp too much, but still enjoyed hiking, walking and biking with the occasional inland kayaking.

During my college and early adult years I have tent camped on rustic and regular Michigan State Parks.  It is a goal of mine to camp more, and it has been a goal of mine to go backpack ing.  I already own a backpacking tent but never used it for backpacking, just regular camping but I have decided to give hammocking a try.  And so, the gear acquisition ramps up.

Hammock
Tarp
Backpack
Cook Kit
Hiking poles
Top Quilt/blanket
Bottom Quilt (DIY poncho liner)

2015 and The Road to 30 (cont.)

I have mixed feelings about new year's resolutions since many do not complete them, but I do believe evaluations and goal setting is important.  The start of a new year is a natural time to do so since there are the celebrations and the calendar change.

This year I have a few goals:

• Stop my yo-yo weight journey.  I have worked on my weight and fitness levels since junior year of high school  I have had some successes, some plateaus and then gradual gains back and forth.  Now that I am a Dad, I really need to get motivated and make this a priority in my house.  I need to do it for myself, for my wife and for my son.  My goal is to achieve a lean body mass 10-12% body fat which most likely will put me at around 200 lbs.
• Train and participate in two U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary areas:

1. AUXCOM
2. Vessel Examiner

Parenthood & The Road to 30

I have nothing mind-blowing to share on parenthood, but I am now a member of the club.  Liam, a 7 lb 19 inch boy joined us late January.

With parenthood comes a greater motivation on my personal health.  True it first has to come from within and this has been something I have been working on, but being a new Dad makes the stakes even higher.

While I have a short bucket list, more and more people are creating a 29 list.  That is that the year before they turn 30 there are items one wants to complete.  This sounded like a good idea to me and this April I will be posting one of my own.

Being more like a truck

I have friends who eat healthier than anybody, but it takes them all day. And if they don't have their sprouted bread, they go into a seizure. I can eat a Big Mac. I'm not going to love it, but it won't put me into toxic shock. It's like if a car is too high-performance, then it's sensitive to any kind of fuel. I like being more like a truck. If a little diesel gets in there, maybe a little water, it'll cough and burp a bit, but it's gonna get through it and keep running. 

~ Laird Hamilton. Source.

The whole article list is good, but this particular point really stood out to me.  I may lose weight faster on a cleaner diet but when/if I do cheat the repercussions are bad.  When I eat mostly clean and then cheat, I still feel it later but it isn't halting me in my tracks.

I believe cutting out the junk and eating clean to restart your system, curb your cravings and reprogram your psychological need for certain foods is a great thing.  In the long term I think 80/20 is best for me.  If I need to tweak it then I can go up to 90/10.